Since the 70s, these iconic ladies have stormed our popular culture with their feminist and trendsetting ways and they prove, that even today, there is no stopping them. Let’s check out exactly what they’re up to.
Where Are These 70s Icons Today?
1. Barbara Eden
Barbara played Jeanie the genie in the NBC fantasy sitcom I Dream of Jeanie. She would fold her arms, blink and the poof… magic! The perfect casting for this ]100-episode show. Barbara continued to spread her onscreen magic in Hollywood years after I Dream of Jeanie stopped airing, but she admits, this was the show that made her. She doesn’t mind though, she said of Jeanie, “She is easy to live with, I really like her”. We do too, Barbara… We do too.
Barbara Eden
2. Delta Burke
Awarded in her 1972 high school yearbook “most likely to succeed”, Delta did exactly that, winning the highly-sought-after Miss Florida in 1974. Her pageant queen status then took a different turn into acting, where she landed the role of Suzanne Sugarbaker on CSB’s Designing Women. Barbara Eden kept making Hollywood magic in the years that came after I Dream of Jeannie, and even though she’s got an extensive resume of roles since the spellbinding ’60s/’70s sensation went off-air, Eden recognizes that Jeannie is still seen as her signature role. But that’s more than alright with Eden who says, “She is also easy to live with, I really like her.” We do too.
Delta Burke
3. Jane Fonda
A 60s actress and activist, whose fame expanding into the 70s with the 1971 film Klute. She was awarded an Academy Award for her role marking the beginning of her global achievements with BAFTAs and Oscars to follow. Today, she graces our screens in Netflix’s Grace and Frankie, the movie Book Club, and Jane Fonda in Five Acts- an HBO documentary. She remains active in public reform and politics, but when asked what’s next for this powerfully hilarious lady, she says, ” I haven’t a clue”.
Jane Fonda
4. Katherine Ross
It’s hard to forget that face at the end of The Graduate, the face of Katherine Ross, which combined with her acting skills saw her earn rave reviews in The Stepford Wives in 1975. Throughout the years, Katherine has added TV shows and movies to her resume, as well as writing children’s books. She married actor, Sam Elliot in the 80s, also appearing as his wife onscreen in the recent 2017 comedy drama, The Hero.
Katherine Ross
5. Bern Nadette Stanis
At 21, Bern was destined for great things when first cast in Norman Lear’s Good Times. The series in 1974-79 was the first two broadcasts a two-parent African-American family, in which she played the role of Thelma Ann Evans-Anderson. Since Good Times, Stanis has appeared in many movies and TV shows and is also the author of four books, which include relationship advice for singles.
Bern Nadette Stanis
6. Stefania Sandrelli
Few can say at the age of 14 they appeared in an Academy Award-winning movie, but Stefania Sandrelli can. She demonstrated acting beyond her years, staring in Italian films alongside Marcello Mastroianni, and directed by Bernado Bertolucci. In 2005, Sandrelli was awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice International Film Festival. Not one to rest, she continues to act in award-winning roles such as La Passione, 2010 Golden Lion-nominated.
Stefania Sandrelli
7. Barbara Hershey
Although Barbara Hershey didn’t become a household name until the 80s, she was already paving her path in Hollywood during the 70s. One role being in Boxcar Bertha, Martin Scorsese’s first Hollywood film. These days, we can see her in ABC’S Once Upon a Time in American, The X-files, and as an oppressive mother in the movie, Black Swan. This once-named-“one of America’s finest actresses” has still got it.
Barbara Hershey
8. Mia Farrow
Mia Farrow stormed the 60s modeling scene, later transitioning into the silver screen in the 70s. Movie roles include Daisy Buchanan in the cult classic, The Great Gatsby. Also performing in theatre, Mia became the first American actress recruited to the Royal Shakespeare Company. Mia regularly receives praise for her roles, most recently in her 2014 Broadway-reappearance play Love Letters. Acting aside, Mia is a dedicated Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, in particular focusing on Human Rights in Africa.
Mia Farrow
9. Maureen McCormick
First hitting the screens as a little blonde girl in the Matel commercials, the almost-10-year old-McCormick began her career. She landed guest roles on I Dream of Jeannie, The Farmer’s Daughter, though her first big break was as “Marcia, Marcia Marcia!” the eldest daughter in The Brandy Bunch. Life after The Brady Bunch was a little unruly for McCormick, who was caught swinging, but that didn’t stop her fame, appearing on Dancing with the Stars in 2016, supported by Her Brady Bunch mom, Florence Henderson (Carol Brady).
Maureen McCormick
10. Lynda Carter
Quite easily recognizable as the unofficial face of the 70s. Lynda Carter won the 1972 Miss World United States, and three subsequent years later, she was cast in her iconic role of Wonder Woman. In between these years, she traveling and performed with her band, The Garfin Gathering, casting cash aside for acting classes. Since Wonder Woman and Lasso of Truth, Carter has been doing theatre and voice-overs. She was also approached to do a cameo in the 2017 Wonder Woman remake, but she declined.
Lynda Carter
11. Michelle Pfeiffer
Pfeiffer first caught our attention in her role as “The Bombshell” in Delta House, a TV adaptation of National Lampoon’s Animal House, which ran only for a short time. Later, she starred in Grease 2, and from there, her career skyrocketed, landing a role in the Hollywood classic, Scarface. Pfeiffer proved she wasn’t just a 70s screen sensation, maintaining success afterwards with White Oleander, and in Marvel as Janet van Dyne aka The Wasp in the Ant-Man movies.
Michelle Pfeiffer
12. Olivia Newton-John
Starring as Sandy in Grease, Newton-John is a household name, time after time proving she is the one that we want. Her real-life role transformation from goody-two-shoes to risk-take just like Sandy earned her huge success. She recorded a Billboard no.1 Dance Club Hit with her daughter, Chloe; and sang on the 2000 Olympic stage.
Olivia Newton-John
13. Jacklyn Zeman
Jacklyn first appeared on our screens as Lana McClain in one One Life to Life, though it was her role as Bobbie Spencer in General Hospital that brought her fame. These days, she can be seen on TLC’s Make This Place Your Home– a home makeover show, or acting in The Bay on Amazon. She has even produced her own line of makeup brushes called Jacklyn Zeman Beauty, proving her beauty won’t be brushed out of the limelight.
Jacklyn Zeman
14. Farah Fawcett
Farah Fawcett acted in a few TV series before hitting the big time with her role of Jill Munroe in Charlie’s Angels. She became a 70s style icon for her Angel role and also for her hair, the infamous Farah Fawcett flip. Farah went on to appear in several TV shows and miniseries and earned herself many Emmy nominations on the way. Sadly in 2006, she was diagnosed with cancer; and with the assistance of her friend they made a documentary of her battle with the disease, earning a 2009 Emmy nomination.
Farah Fawcett
15. Raquel Welch
During the 70s, Hollywood was all about the “blonde bombshell”, but Raquel Welch broke conventions bringing brunette beauty onto our screens. She was typecasted in the 60s for her roles in One Million Years B.C and Bedazzled as a household “sex symbol”, a title that proved difficult to drop. These roles may have secured her a sex symbol status in Hollywood, but she spent a large part of her career proving to the industry bigwigs that she is more than just that. “I was a bigger than life persona before I was anyone in my own mind” she says.
Raquel Welch
16. Ali MacGraw
Only after acting in two Hollywood movies in the 70s, Ali MacGraw was nominated for awards for her roles. Her third movie, Love Story earned her epic reviews and also a hand and footprint ceremony at the infamous Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, L.A. Ali discovered Hatha yoga in her early 50s and produced a best-selling video Ali MacGraw Yoga Mind and Body, which helped increase the knowledge and popularity of Hatha Yoga in the States.
Ali MacGraw
17. Jaclyn Smith
From 1976-81, Jaclyn was an original Charlie’s Angel playing the role of Kelly Garrett; the only Angel to remain with the show until its finally filming days. She made a cameo in the 2003 movie version, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. She has also appeared on CSI but has not been seen on screen since 2015; concentrating now on her personal project, her skincare, and accessory line.
Jaclyn Smith
18. Cheryl Ladd
Despite not being an original Charlie’s Angel, Cheryl Ladd is the second-longest remaining actress from the show, replacing Farah Fawcett’s character’s younger sister, Kris Munroe. With her fan-based already established, Cheryl broke into the music scene, releasing three albums, one of which went gold. Post-Charlie’s Angels, Cheryl made over 30 movies and TV sitcoms and was recently awarded for her role as the lawyer’s wife, Linell Shapiro in the well-received The People vs O.J. Simpson.
Cheryl Ladd
19. Kate Jackson
Kate was the first actress cast in Charlie’s Angels, playing the role of Sabrina Duncan, and at the time the show name was penned as The Alley Cats. Apparently, Kate was the one who came up with the famous name according to the show’s executive producer, Aaron Spalding. Kate recently signed a contract with Gallery Books to expose her diaries as a Charlie’s Angel, due for release in 2021. So there is still time to order yourself a copy, which is sure to reveal some shady secrets or two.
Kate Jackson
20. Barbi Benton
Born Barbara Klein, Barbi took a job at age 18 as an extra on Playboy after Dark, where Hugh Heffner spotted her potential. Hugh convinced her to change her name, and she convinced Hugh, her then-boyfriend, to buy the Playboy Mansion in 1974. Barbi spent four seasons on the comedy show Hee Haw, later becoming a country singer. By the end of the 70s, she married and had two children Alexander and Ariana, retiring from show business and focusing on family.
Barbi Benton
21. Melissa Sue Anderson
Melissa won the hearts of America as a child, playing Mary Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie. This was a role Melissa found challenging as Mary became blind, but that wasn’t the end of the demanding roles for Melissa. Later, she left the series, married and gave birth to two children. A few minor acting roles followed, as well as an autobiography “The Way I See It: A Look Back at my Life on Little House”.
Melissa Sue Anderson
22. Cybill Shepherd
Cybil was cast in her breakthrough role The Last Picture Show after the wife of director Peter Bogdanovich spotted her magazine cover in the grocery store. This lead to her cult success with the 70s movies, Taxi Driver, and The Heartbreak Kid. She then took a break from the screen and worked in theatre, later returning to TV with her role as Maddie Hayes in the 70s classic series Moonlighting. To these day, she still graces our screens and has written an autobiography, “Cybill Disobedience”.
Cybill Shepherd
23. Candice Bergen
In the 1966 Hollywood film The Group, Candice hit the acting scene whilst still in college, later choosing to quit and follow her dream. Her subsequent role was in Steve McQueen’s Sand Pebbles which garnered her the acting attention she so deserved. Since the 70s, Candice has regularly appeared on our screens; most recently in 2018 with the revival of Murphy Brown, in which she plays her tough TV reporter role. She loves keeping busy in the business and shows no signs of stopping.
Candice Bergen
24. Jane Seymour
Jane Seymour became an international sensation with her role as “Solitaire” Bond Girl for Roger Moore’s Bond in 1973 Live and Let Die. Years of success followed, proving Seymour has a Bond Girl on your resume, you will always work. She also played Dr Michaela Quinn in Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and in 2005, appeared in The Wedding Crashers and the 2011 romcom with Mandy Moore, Love, Wedding, Marriage.
Jane Seymour
25. Rene Ruso
Rene was spotted at a 1972 Rolling Stones concert by agent, John Crosby of IMG modeling agency. He saw her potential which landed her Cosmopolitan and Vogue covers. Ruso then went into acting, finding success with movies such as Lethal Weapon 3 and 4, The Thomas Crown Affair, Get Short; and most recently, in Marvel’s Thor playing Norse goddess Frigga, and in the Avengers: Endgame.
Rene Ruso
26. Faye Dunaway
Faye starred in the most influential and iconic films of the 70s, playing Bonnie in Bonnie and Clyde. She then starred alongside Jack Nicholson in Chinatown and was won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in Network. She also played the role of Joan Crawford in the controversial cult classic, Mommie Dearest. A private person, tending to stray from the public eye, Dunaway hit the headlines when she was announcing the Oscar winner for Best Picture and was handed the wrong envelope.
Faye Dunaway
27. Pam Grier
Pam Grief earned herself the Quentin Tarantino accolade of being the first action actress, playing strong roles that fought the system. She acted in Tarantino’s 1977 blockbuster Jackie Brown, and had a regular role on the TV show, The L Word. Not one for Hollywood glam, she lives off the grid on a Colorado ranch, a lifestyle which she enjoys.
Pam Grier
28. Cheryl Tiegs
Since the 70s, there have been many famous international American models, but back then, there was only one, Cheryl Tiegs, who rose to fame with her infamous pink bikini photos. She modeled from the age of 17, securing several times covers of People, Time, and Sports Illustrated. She recently appeared on Celebrity Apprentice and continues to work for a variety of philanthropic charities, even visiting the Artic to help raise conservation awareness.
Cheryl Tiegs
29. Ellen Burstyn
Ellen has won an Academy Award, Tony and an Emmy, one of only-a-few actresses to have done so, dubbing her the “Triple Crown of Acting”. Her first award was an Academy one for the 1971 movie, The Last Picture, which propelled her career immensely and landed her roles in the cult horror film, The Exorcist and Same Time, Next Year. However, her most-instantly-recognizable role was in the 2000 movie Requiem for a Dream, playing the role of Sara Goldfarb, earning her a further 13 awards and nominations for her incredible performance.
Ellen Burstyn
30. Meryl Streep
The name itself is synonymous with stellar acting, which became evident from her early career, winning a Tony in 1975 after her first on-stage performance. Three years later, Streep won an Emmy and then an Academy Award in 1979. The 70s really marked Meryl’s career. Vanity Fair magazine stated, “It is hard to remember a time when Meryl Streep wasn’t the greatest living actress”. Her versatility, style, and accent authenticity have rightly hailed her as the best actress of her time.
Meryl Streep
31. Diane Keaton
As the 60s turned into the 70s, the world went from watching Julie Andrews to Diane Keaton. Her film debut was made in 1970 with the film, Lovers and Other Strangers. Though unlike the flares of the 70s, Keaton did not go out of fashion, recently appearing in the 2019 TV series based upon the Dr. Seus book, Green Eggs and Ham. Her latest film, Love, Weddings, and Other Disasters just wrapped filming, so stay tuned.
Diane Keaton
32. Jodie Foster
Jodie is not just an award-winning actress, but also a skilled producer and director. Her first role was in 1968, aged 6, but it was her role at 14 in Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver that brought her international fame. By the mid-90s, Jodie had already two films, but it was her 2010 film The Beaver that brought her that well-deserved directing recognition. This film premiered at the SXSW Film Festival and she starred alongside Mel Gibson. However, for her 2016 film, Mad Money, Jodie was completely on the other side of the camera and she brought in Hollywood actors George Clooney and Julia Roberts to star in the movie.
Jodie Foster
33. Carrie Fisher
Carrie is synonymous with her role of Princess Leia in the epic space-themed movie, Star Wars. The movies brought her her 1976 Hollywood-breakthrough and were also the last movies she appeared in, Star Wars: The Last Jedi which was released in 2017, posthumously. Aside from being an awarding-wining dramatic actress, Carrie has undertaken comedy roles in Family Guy, The Blues Brothers, and 30 Rock. She was a vocal activist about drug abuse and mental illness, speaking candidly about her experience in her memoirs.
Carrie Fisher
34. Amy Irving
In the 60s, Amy was a Broadway child actress living with her family in New York. Once the 70s came, she was seen starring on-screen in the 1976 film Carrie, and then as the protagonist in the 1978 supernatural thriller, The Fury. Recently, Irving has returned to the stage, and her IMDB page says she prefers to be on Broadway and spend time with her NYC-based family and friends. She was recently involved in two 2019 productions with another two in the pipeline. Stay tuned.
Amy Irving
35. Goldie Hawn
Goldie won an Academy Award and Golden Globe in 1970 for her role in the movie, Cactus Flower, prior to the Beatles break-up. Post-break-up, Goldie continued to have many onscreen successes. She took an acting hiatus in 2002, returning to guest star alongside Gordon Ramsey in an animated episode of Phineas and Ferb. In 2015, after a 15 year break, she was back in Hollywood starring alongside Amy Schumer in the movie Snatched.
Goldie Hawn